Let My Heart Rest In Pieces
by LilMissCrystal
Summary: Bray and Ebony are torn apart by a tragedy. Jay comes up with a plan to pull Bray out of his misery. Ebony begrudgingly teams up to help him, determined to get back the man she loves, but is Bray really the one she loves?
1. Broken

Ebony Johnson stepped out of her jeep with a sigh as she watched everyone head to their classes. She had been dreading this day all summer long, the first day of senior year. She should be excited, but after everything that happened over the summer, she would have rather been anywhere but there. She sighed again as she swung her messenger bag over her shoulder and walked towards the school to meet up with her friends.

"Ebs! It's about time you got here," Jack said as he ran over and gave her a hug. He knew this summer had been hard on her, and he hadn't been sure if she was even going to show up for school that day.

"I almost didn't make it, but I knew I had to face everything sooner or later," Ebony said. She threw her bag down and sat down on the ground in between Salene and Ram. She smiled as she watched all her friends talk and laugh with each other. Ever since elementary school, it had been her, Jack, Ram, and Salene. Over the years, they had become friends with Ruby, Lex, Mega, and Trudy. They were inseparable. But Ebony's smile quickly faded as she thought of the two people missing from the group, one who could never be back again, and one who chose to stay away.

"Hey, Ebony. You okay?" Ram asked. He had noticed the sad look in her eyes and he knew who she was thinking of. Ebony tried her best to smile.

"I'm fine, Ram. You don't need to worry about me," she said. They all jumped up as the bell rang, heading in their different directions.

"You have to promise that you'll help me study," Ebony said as she and Mega headed towards Physics. "You know I'm awful at science and you're like a genius."

Mega laughed. "It's not that hard. You'll be fine."

"Yeah. Whatever you…" Ebony trailed off as she came to a sudden stop. Mega looked at her, concerned.

"Ebs, what are you doing?" he asked. She didn't reply. She just kept staring ahead. Mega looked up to see what she was looking at. He knew right away that she was staring at Bray and Bray was trying his best to avoid her gaze. Mega put his arm around her when he noticed the tears in her eyes. 

"Come on. We don't want to be late," he said. When she didn't move, he gently guided her towards the classroom. "You need to get over this Ebs. Bray made his choice."

Ebony pulled away, angrily. "Yeah he got his choice, didn't he? What about my choice, huh?" she yelled, drawing attention from the other students. "Or Martin? What choice did Martin get? I didn't choose to lose Bray and I didn't choose for Martin to die! So don't you stand there and tell me I need to get over it, because you have no idea what kind of hell I've been through this summer!"

Ebony turned and ran down the hall, ignoring Mega calling her name. She knew that it wasn't his fault and she shouldn't have yelled at him. She just lost it when she saw Bray and he acted like they were strangers. After knowing him almost her whole life and then dating him for more than three years, she thought she at least deserved some kind of acknowledgement. She sighed as finally made it to her car and sped out of the parking lot. She should have stayed home today. She didn't even make it to first period.

"Maybe tomorrow will be better," she muttered to herself as she sent out a group text to her friends, telling them she needed to go home and be alone for a while.


	2. What Used to Be

Bray practically ran out of his class when the final bell rang, desperate to get home. He was tired of everyone's sympathetic looks and sad smiles. He was tired of everyone trying to make him laugh, trying to get things back to normal. Things would never be normal again.

"Bray! Man, wait up," Jay yelled across the parking lot. Bray and Jay had been friends since junior high. Jay's dad was some big time record producer, making his family one of the richest in town. A lot of people saw Jay as some stuck up jerk, but Bray knew he was a good guy, somewhere deep down.

"Dude, why are you running off so fast? I didn't even get a chance to tell you about the party at my house tonight," Jay said. "Dad's out of town listening to some new band and mom's vacationing in the Bahamas. No parents, huge party." Bray forced a smile. At this time last year, he would have been laughing and helping Jay get everything together, but things were different now.

"I don't know, Jay. I'm not really in the party mood." Jay sighed. He missed the old Bray, the one who used to always have a smile on his face and be ready for a good time. He was almost robotic now, just walking around without expressing any emotion.

"Come on, B. It will be fun. I promise." Bray just nodded, hoping to get Jay off his back. "Awesome! Be at my house around 8 to help me set up," Jay said as he headed towards his car. Bray gave a half-hearted wave and jumped into his truck.

Bray sighed as he walked into his empty house, not at all surprised that his dad wasn't home. His mom had died when he was just four years old and after Martin, his dad spent long hours at the office, trying to bury his sadness in his work. Bray walked up the stairs to his room, but he paused as he walked by Martin's room. The door was slightly open and he couldn't help but walk in and look around.

Everything was exactly the same. He picked up a picture on Martin's nightstand. It was of the two of them and Ebony at last year's homecoming game. They looked so happy. He had seen Ebony freak out in school today and it took every ounce of his will power to not run after her, but he knew that was a bad idea. Things would never be the same between them, not after this summer.

Flashback

_Bray laughed as he watched Martin pick up a screaming Ebony and dump her into the freezing lake._

"Martin! I am seriously going to hurt you!" Ebony screamed as she walked out of the lake. "And just what do you think you're laughing at?" she asked Bray, with a stern look. He tried his hardest to keep a straight face, but he just burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry, honey, but it's funny. You look like a drowned rat," he said as he and Martin burst out laughing again. Ebony glared at them before she started laughing too. She knew she looked ridiculous. She grabbed a towel and started drying off.

"Well, I hate to interrupt all the great fun you're having at my expense, but we need to head home. I told dad I'd be home early to help with dinner," Ebony said. Bray groaned. They had been having so much fun at the lake and he wasn't ready to leave, but he knew that if he wanted to stay on Mr. Johnson's good side, he'd better get her home.

They packed up everything and headed to the car, with Martin still teasing Ebony about looking like a drowned rat. Martin jumped into the driver's seat with Ebony in the front and Bray in the back seat and headed towards the highway.

"I can't believe we're going to be seniors," Ebony said, excited about finally graduating.

"Well, you and Bray will be seniors. I still have another year to go," Martin sighed. He hated that he would still be stuck in high school while Ebony and Bray headed off the college. Bray patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry you'll be out of high school before you know it, and then you can go to college and still be known as Bray's little brother." Bray laughed, knowing that Martin hated that he was always in Bray's shadow. Martin laughed as he reached his arm back to playfully hit Bray.

"I may be the little brother, but I can still kick your…"

"Martin! Look out!" Ebony screamed as the car in the other lane swerved into their lane.

End of Flashback

The next thing Bray remembered was waking up in a hospital room. His dad told him that they had been hit by a drunk driver. Martin didn't make it and Ebony was in a coma. Bray was in shock, not quite understanding what had happened. That whole week was a blur, sitting by Ebony's bed, praying for her to wake up. When she finally did, Bray was so relieved, he started to cry, but as soon as she asked about Martin, he just couldn't handle it. He ran out of the hospital room, as Ebony shouted after him. He hadn't spoken to her since. He just couldn't look at her and not feel the pain of losing Martin all over again. So, he closed down on everyone, not knowing how to deal.


	3. The Plan

Jay leaned against the side of the school, watching Ebony get out of her jeep. He hadn't seen her around school much since that incident on the first day, two weeks ago. He figured she was trying to keep a low profile.

He and Ebony had never been great friends, but they had spent a lot of time together back when she and Bray were a couple. Things had been so much better back then, when Bray was his good old self. Jay would do anything to have those days back. And he had decided that Ebony was the key to making that happen. He walked towards her as she approached the front steps of the school.

"Hello, Ebby," Jay said with a smirk on his face. Ebony looked up, surprised that he even remembered his nickname for her. He hadn't spoken to her since Martin's funeral and she was suspicious as to why he wanted to talk to her now.

"Don't call me that," she said as she brushed past him and continued into the school. Jay frowned at her harsh tone. She had never talked to him like that before.

"But I've always called you that," he said as he ran after her.

"That's back when we were friends, and seeing as I haven't heard from you since Martin's funeral, I kind of figured that friendship was over," she said as she turned around and glared at him. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have better things to do." She turned around and continued walking into the school.

"You miss him don't you?" Jay asked.

"Of course I miss Martin. He was one of my best friends," she said.

"I wasn't talking about Martin. I'm talking about Bray. You know Bray, the guy you were crazy in love with for years." Ebony stopped in her tracks, but didn't turn around for fear that her face would give her sadness away.

"It's ridiculous to think that I miss him. He and I are over." She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, hoping he would drop the subject.

"I miss him too, you know," Jay said with a sigh. Ebony finally turned to face him, confusion etched on her face.

"How can you miss him? You see him everyday," she said, still not quite understanding. Jay sighed.

"No I don't. I haven't seen the real Bray since Martin died. No one has. He's not the same person he used to be."

"Why are you telling me this, Jay? Bray and I aren't together anymore, remember? We don't even speak to each other." Her lip trembled as she said the last part, still sad and angry that he hadn't and wouldn't speak to her.

"I'm telling you this because you can help me get him back."

"Why would I care if he becomes his old self again?" Ebony asked cautiously, not knowing where the conversation was headed.

"Because Martin would want it that way. You know that he would be heartbroken to see Bray like this," Jay said. Ebony sighed. Jay was right. This isn't what Martin would have wanted.

"Well, what do you propose we do, huh? Some shock therapy, a little counseling, what?" Ebony asked. Jay laughed at the thought of Bray getting shock therapy, but quickly stopped after Ebony gave him a look. Then he smirked and just looked at her for a moment. That made Ebony nervous. She knew that look from years of experience of being around Jay and she knew that look didn't mean good news.

"Whether or not you can admit it to yourself or anyone else, you still mean a lot to Bray," Jay said, holding up his hand to quite her when she tried to object. "I think the best way to bring out some kind of emotional reaction from him is for you to make him jealous." Jay paused. "By dating me."

Ebony looked up him like he'd sprouted a second head. "Have you lost your mind? First of all, I have never and will never be interested in dating you. And secondly, what the hell makes you think that he would even care if you and I dated?" Jay just continued to smile at her. He had expected this reaction.

"For the record, we wouldn't actually be dating, just pretending to date. And I know this would work because he still cares about you even if he doesn't show it and after being in love with you for years, I know he would get jealous to see you with another guy, especially his best friend." Jay watched Ebony as she contemplated his argument.

"Okay, so let's say I agree to this. If and I mean if I say yes, there will be some rules. First of all, if I decided I don't want to do this anymore, it's done without any complaint from you. Secondly, no groping or unnecessary touching or I will hurt severely hurt you." Ebony almost laughed when she saw how excited Jay was about the plan. She couldn't believe she was getting herself into this.

"So was that a yes?" Jay asked with a hopeful smile.

Ebony sighed as she nodded. She had a feeling things were about to get a little crazy.


	4. Confrontation

As they walked through the mall, Ebony listened half-heartedly to Salene go on and on about how Ram was being a complete jerk. She had given up listening a while back, when all she could think about was the fact that she had agreed to Jay's stupid plan, if there even was a plan now. She hadn't heard from Jay for almost a week. She sighed, still wondering what made her say yes.

Then she saw Bray walking on the opposite side of the mall with Pride, May, and Tai-san talking and laughing. While everyone else looked like they were having a great time, Bray looked completely oblivious to the world around him. He was like some kind of zombie, just occasionally nodding. It was then that Ebony knew she had to do something to help him, even if he didn't love her anymore like she still loved him.

"And then he tried to say that he was just being nice to May. That he didn't care abo…Ebony, are you listening to anything I'm saying?" Salene said, slightly irritated that she spent all that time telling a story and Ebony had missed it all. Ebony snapped her attention to Salene with an embarrassed smile.

"Sorry, Sal. I just have my head in the clouds today, but I'm really listening this time. Now what is going on with you and Ram? You two just got together like four months ago. Things can't be over so quickly. You're crazy about each other," Ebony said, smiling. Salene and Ram were on the verge of a break up pretty much every other week. All their friends knew the routine by now. Be supportive and listen and they would patch it up fairly quickly. Ebony wished things would be that easy for her and Bray.

The next day, Ebony decided that she was tired of waiting around for Jay to take action. She pulled out her cell and dialed his number for the first time in months. It rang and rang until finally Jay answered. "Hello?" he said, sounding like he had just woken up.

"Hey Jay. It's Ebony. I wanted to talk to you about the plan for Bray. We need to get started soon."

"Ebony, why are you calling me so early on a Sunday? You may be a morning person, but if you remember, I'm not," he said grumpily. Ebony laughed.

"Umm, Jay. It's one o'clock in the afternoon. It's way past early morning."

"Oh, hell," he said as he jumped out of bed. "Well, why the hell did you let me go on and on about early morning? We're wasting time here. Let me jump in the shower and I'll be at your house in half and hour." Before Ebony could object, the line went dead.

She threw her phone on the bed and went to the kitchen to grab some food. She loved days when she had the apartment to herself, though she did miss her dad when he was gone. Her mom had run off when she was ten and hadn't been heard from since. That's one of the things she and Bray had bonded over. They were both missing their mothers.

She tried to push thoughts of him out of her head as she finished her sandwich. She jumped up when she heard the doorbell. She invited Jay in and now they just awkwardly stood there, staring at each other.

"So…" Ebony said, not quite knowing where to start.

"So, we should probably start planning this out," Jay said, plopping himself on her couch. She sat on the opposite end and sighed.

"Well, how is this going to work? We can't just show up at school tomorrow as a couple. People will get suspicious and I haven't had time to fill my friends in on this whole plan," Ebony said. Jay looked at her and frowned. "What?" she asked.

"You can't tell you friends, Ebby. You can't tell anyone. This has to look and sound real and that will be hard if a bunch of people know it's just pretend." Ebony jumped off the couch and started pacing.

"You have got to be kidding me? I can't lie to my friends. They would never forgive me when they found out the truth." Jay sighed. He knew he would have trouble getting her to agree to this.

"Ebby, it's not lying so much as it's just not telling the whole truth." Ebony rolled her eyes.

"That's the same thing, you idiot," she said.

"Hey now. There is no need for name calling," Jay said with a slight smile. He didn't realize until right then how much he had missed Ebony's sarcasm and the bickering they did back and forth.

Ebony threw herself back onto the couch, defeated. "Fine. I won't tell them, but if they stop speaking to me when this is all over, it's completely your fault."

"I can live with that," he said. "Okay, now I know you said we can't just show up and be a couple, because no one would believe us, so I have an idea. Why don't we make everyone think that we have been secretly seeing each other, but were afraid to tell anyone? Surely they will believe that we were scared to tell everyone, especially Bray." He looked at her, hoping she would like the idea. She twirled a braid around her finger as she thought about it.

"That's sounds like it may work, but we're really going to have to make it sound and look real," she said. "So, I guess starting tomorrow, we're going to be a couple, at least everyone will think we are." Jay nodded.

"Looks like it. So why don't I pick you up tomorrow for school? If we show up together, it will look more believable." Ebony nodded in agreement.

The next day, Ebony was a nervous wreck waiting for Jay to show up. She knew that she was doing the right thing to help Bray, or at least she hoped she was doing the right thing. She jumped off the front porch step as Jay pulled up and got into the car. They sat in silence the whole ride there, both lost in their thoughts and doubts about their plan. When they pulled into the parking lot, Jay turned to face Ebony.

"Are you sure you want to do this? Once we start, it will be hard to just end it," he asked, concerned that maybe he was asking too much of her.

"I'm sure about this," she said as she put on her most confident smile. She got out of the car and walked next to Jay towards the school. He slipped his hand in hers, looking at her to see if it was okay. She just smiled at him, knowing this was part of the plan.

She took a deep breath as they headed towards her friends, seeing the shocked looks on all their faces. She knew that most of them weren't huge fans of Jay, especially Ram and Mega, but she hoped they would support her.

Ram pulled himself up from his seat on the ground and walked towards them. "Ebony, what the hell is going on and why the hell are you holding hands with that jerk?" he asked, angrily.


	5. Standing Ground

Recap

She took a deep breath as they headed towards her friends, seeing the shocked looks on all their faces. She knew that most of them weren't huge fans of Jay, especially Ram and Mega, but she hoped they would support her.

Ram pulled himself up from his seat on the ground and walked towards them. "Ebony, what the hell is going on and why the hell are you holding hands with that jerk?" he asked, angrily.

End Recap

Let Me Rest In Pieces Ch. 5

Ebony just looked at Ram. She knew he would be upset, but she didn't know that he would freak out.

"Well, Ebony. Are you just going to stand there like an idiot or are you going to tell us what the hell is going on?" Ram demanded. Jay started to get angry. 

"Don't talk to her like that. She's not an idiot. She's just a little surprised that someone she considers to be such a good friend is acting like a complete jerk," Jay said as he stepped in front of Ebony, as if to shield her from Ram's harsh words.

"Did I ask for your opinion, pretty boy? This is between me and Ebony." Ram said, as he stepped towards Jay.

Jay shook his head. "From now on, anything involving Ebony, involves me too." Everybody just looked on in shock, expecting someone to throw a punch. Before things got more heated, Ebony stepped between the two guys.

"Both of you back off," she yelled. She couldn't believe things had gotten this bad. She glared at Ram. "What the hell is your problem? We're friends, remember? The choices I make are my own. You don't get a say in my life. Jay and I are together and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it. You got that?" Ram hadn't heard Ebony speak that forcefully since before Martin died, but even through his surprise, he wouldn't back down. He couldn't let Ebony date Jay. He was a complete ss.

"Yeah that's right, Ebony. I'm your friend and I care about you. That's why I'm doing this. Jay is all wrong for you, can't you see that? He hasn't been there for you. Hell, he didn't even talk to you after Martin died, and now you want to date him? Why?" Ram's eyes pleaded for an explanation. Ram knew Ebony better than almost anyone, and Ebony knew it was killing him that he didn't understand this. She just kept telling herself that if she held on a little longer, she could have Bray back and things would be good again. She sighed.

"Because I like him, Ram. He's a good guy, and I know you don't understand right now, but you will. Just let me do this. Stop trying to protect me from my own decisions." Ram sighed. He had always had a soft spot for Ebony. How could he say no to her?

"Ok, Ebs. I'll back off." He looked at Jay. "If you hurt her, there is no where you could go that would keep you safe. I will hunt you down and make you regret ever meeting Ebony, or me." Ram then picked up his bag and walked into the school with Salene running after him. Everyone just stood there for a minute, until the first bell rang. Ebony stood there, unsure of what to do. Jack walked over to her.

"Hey, Ebs. If you're happy, I'm happy for you. We love you and you know we're just worried about you," he said.

"Yeah. We love you no matter what," Mega said as he gave her a hug. He glared at Jay, before stiffly holding out his hand and shaking Jay's. "You take care of her, you hear? She's the best girl in the world." Ruby punched him in the arm. "Except for you of course," he said as he smiled at her. Ebony laughed. Everyone thought Mega and Ruby were the strangest couple, but somehow they fit. The second bell rang and the group broke apart, everyone running in different directions, late for class. Jay grabbed Ebony's arm before she walked away.

"Are we ok? I'm sorry I didn't mean to fight with Ram. He just got in your face and I wasn't about to let him talk to you like that, becau-" Ebony held up her hand to stop him as she smiled.

"Jay, it's ok. I knew that was going to be hard, but we made it through. Now we need to find Bray at lunch and get this plan started for real." She smiled and ran off to class. Jay watched her go. He couldn't believe that he had almost forgotten that this was all part of a plan. She was doing this for Bray, not for him.


	6. Let the Games Begin

As the bell rang, signaling the end of fifth period, Ebony nervously gathered her things, knowing that her and Jay's "plan" would be in full swing at lunch. This was the first time for Bray to actually see them together, though Ebony figured he had already heard all about them by now. As she walked out of her classroom, she saw Jay leaning against some lockers, waiting for her. She tried to smile.

"Hey," he said. "You ready for this? You look nervous."

"Well, aside from the fact that I'm lying to all of my friends, pretending to be in a relationship with my ex's best friend, and then throwing it is his face, I'm perfectly fine," she snapped. She couldn't believe he was so calm about this. Sure, she'd lied before, but never like this, and not to her closest friends. Jay was taken back by her tone. Maybe she wasn't up for this anymore. He put a hand on her shoulder.

"You know we don't have to do this. If this is too much, we'll just stop it now," he said. She hesitated and then she thought about the last time she'd seen Bray, with his empty eyes, a shell of his former self. She shook her head.

"No. We need to do this, for Bray. He needs are help, even if this is a strange way of giving it to him." Jay smiled, glad that she wasn't backing out.

"Okay then. Let's go," he grabbed her hand and steered her towards the patio, where Bray and his "crew" always ate. As they walked outside, she looked over at Bray's table. Amber and Pride were busy making out, as usual. Slade was ignoring May, who was rambling on about something and Tai-san was writing something in her journal. Bray was no where to be seen. It was the same as it had always been, but Ebony used to be a part of that group too, usually sitting on Bray's lap, with Martin and all her friends strewn somewhere around the table, but the group had naturally split after the summer. There were no hard feelings on either side; it had just seemed easier that way.

"Come on Ebby," Jay said, pulling her out of her trance. They walked over to the table and Ebony could see the surprise on everyone's face though she was sure they had heard the rumors of her and Jay. They probably just couldn't believe it.

"Hey guys. What's up?" Jay said, sitting down next to Tai-san, and pulling Ebony with him. She smiled, awkwardly.

"Nothing much. Hey Ebs, how's it going?" Slade asked. She smiled at him. He had always made her feel at ease.

"It's going ok. Just trying to get back into "school" mode," she said. Slade laughed. He knew how much Ebony hated school.

"Yeah, I bet you're real excited to be back," he froze as he realized the true meaning of the statement after the events of the summer. "Ebs, you know what I meant. I wasn't thinking." He looked down, embarrassed. She plastered a smile on her face.

"I know, Slade. It's ok." At that moment, Bray walked up, looking as empty and broken as ever. He walked right past Ebony and Jay without so much as glancing at them. Ebony didn't know what to do or say. She felt Jay slide his arm around her waste, as he moved closer to her.

"Hey man. Where've you been?" he asked Bray. Bray looked up as though he had just registered that he was even there.

"I had to make-up a test," he said as he looked back down at his food. Jay sighed. How was he supposed to get a reaction out of Bray if he wasn't even paying attention? He formulated a plan in his head and turned to Pride and Amber, who had finally come up for air.

"So Pride, what are you and Amber doing this weekend?" he asked. When he saw the smirk on Pride's face, he gave him a look of disgust. "I mean the PG rated version," Jay said. Pride laughed.

"I dunno. I think we may go see a movie Friday or something. Just the usual stuff," he said.

"Well, Ebby and I were trying to make plans for this weekend and I was wondering if you two wanted to go on a double date. We could grab some pizza or something." Pride looked at Jay, shocked. He had heard that Jay and Ebony were together, but he couldn't believe he was flaunting their relationship right in front of Bray's face. He looked at Bray, but he was just looking at everyone with a blank stare. Pride turned back to Jay.

"Umm, sure. We could meet up at Giuseppe's Pizzeria, at like 7?" he asked. He couldn't believe he was getting himself and Amber into this. He looked at Amber and she just shrugged, seeming just as surprised as he was.

"Sounds great," Jay said. He looked at Ebony and gave her a reassuring smile. She looked at Bray, trying to gage his reaction but he didn't even look at her. The bell rang and Ebony was grateful to get away from the awkward scene. She got up to go to class, but Jay spun her around, and pulled her into a hug.

"Just go with me on this," he whispered in her ear, and before she could figure out what he was talking about, he leaned in and kissed her. At first, she didn't react, completely shocked at what was going on, but then she gave in and kissed him back. She finally pulled away, needing to take a breath. She just looked at Jay for a moment, until she remembered that they were standing in front of a group of people.

She ducked her head in embarrassment, before looking at the table. Everyone sat there, just watching them. Everyone, but Bray. At some point he had gotten up and walked away. She didn't know if that was a good sign or a bad one, but all she could think about was that she had kissed Jay, Bray's best friend. She didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad one.


	7. Emotions Run High

Bray jumped into his car and sped off, not really knowing where he was going or what he was doing. He couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe that all the rumors were true. Ebony and Jay, his Ebony and Jay were together.

'Don't be stupid,' he thought to himself. 'She's not yours anymore.' He couldn't get the image of them kissing out of his head. How could they do this to him? Didn't they know that this was killing him? Of course they didn't, he thought. He had gotten so good at hiding his feelings since Martin died. There was no way that Ebony knew how much he loved her, how much he missed her.

'Why am I such an idiot? Why did I walk away from her?' He had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts, he didn't realize that he had ended up at the cemetery. He sat in his car, almost too terrified to move. He hadn't been here since the funeral. He just didn't know how to deal. He felt a tear fall down his face as he thought of that day.

flashback

_Bray got out of the car without saying a word to his parents. He had refused to be a pallbearer, and his mother just didn't understand. How could he tell her that he just couldn't bring himself to carry his dead brother's casket? How could he explain that it was just too much to handle?_

He stood next to the grave, staring at the casket, not quite believing that his brother was in there. He wiped the tears away. He felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and there was Ebony. Her beautiful face had tears running down it and she had bruises from the accident. She was still on crutches because of her broken foot. Bray cast his eyes down, not being able to look her in the face.

"Bray. Bray, look at me." He brought his eyes to meet hers. "Why did you just leave me in the hospital? Why didn't you tell me about Martin yourself? Why did you leave me there to deal with it all on my own?" He couldn't bear to see the hurt in her eyes, and he didn't know how to explain it to her. He didn't know how to tell her that he was to blame for all of this. He knew how distracted Martin got when he drove, how reckless it made him. Yet he had egged him on and teased him. He had distracted Martin from the road and that's why they crashed. Martin died because of him and he had stayed by Ebony's side at the hospital, afraid that she would die too.

Bray pulled himself out of his thoughts and looked at Ebony again. She looked so fragile and broken. He wanted to protect her, but he had almost gotten her killed. So he did the only thing he knew to protect her.

"Stay away from me Ebony. Martin's dead. We both know we only got close because of him. We're nothing without him. Let's just keep it that way." He turned and walked away. He didn't turn around. He knew if he saw her hurt, tear-streaked face, he would loose his nerve and run back to her and hold her close. He knew he couldn't do that. He had to protect her because he loved her.

end flashback

He wiped away the tears that had fallen at the memory. It was the worst day of his life for more than one reason. He took a deep breath and got out of his car. Even though he'd only been here once, he knew exactly where he was going. He kneeled down in front of the grave, not really sure why he was there. He sighed and just started talking.

"Hey Martin. It's your big brother, but I guess you know that." He picked up a blade of grass and twirled it in his fingers. He started to cry and this time he didn't bother to wipe the tears away. "I'm so sorry, Martin. I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you. I tried, I tried so hard and still you died. I wish it was me, Martin. I was supposed to go first. I'm the big brother and I was supposed to go first. I really wish you were here. I'm all alone without you."

"No you're not." Bray jumped at the sound of the voice and turned around. Ebony stood behind him with tears in her eyes, much like the last time they'd been here together. "You're not alone, Bray. There are so many people here that love you." Bray quickly rubbed his eyes, embarrassed that after so many months of shielding his emotions, Ebony had been the one to see him cry.

"Ebony, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Jay?" he spat out, inwardly cringing at how bitter and jealous he sounded. Ebony flinched at his tone. She'd never heard Bray like this before.

"I came looking for you. After you disappeared at lunch, I was worried about you."

"Well, while you were busy sucking face with Jay, I decided I had better things to do than sit there and watch. I'm sorry if I ruined your fun," He started to walk away, desperately needing to get away from her. He couldn't believe that after all he put her through, she still worried about him and cared about him. Ebony ran after him. She grabbed his arm and spun him around to face her, anger blazing in her eyes.

"Don't you dare walk away from me, Bray. And what gives you the right to judge my relationship with Jay? Why the hell do you care if we're together anyway, huh? You told me to stay away from you. You no longer have the right to comment on my life. Don't you get that? You made your choice and left me to pick up the pieces." She was so angry, she was trembling. She wasn't sure where all this had come from. She loved Bray and she wanted him back, not to push him away. Bray almost lost his nerve after her outburst. He was so tempted to pull her in his arms and tell her everything. Tell her that he loved her and needed her. He wanted to tell her to leave Jay and to be with him, because he loved her not Jay. But he fought those feelings. He couldn't do this.

"You're right, Ebony. It is none of my business." He looked at her with cold eyes, once again masking his feelings. "And you're right, I did tell you to stay away from me. So what the hell are you doing here?" He pushed past her and ran towards his car.

"I'm here because I love you," she whispered.


	8. Taking Action

Jay franticly searched the parking lot after school for any sign of Ebony, but he couldn't seem to find her. She had disappeared after lunch and it made Jay nervous that she just took off and hadn't returned his calls or text messages. He let out a frustrated sigh as he pulled out his phone to call her once again. It rang and rang and just as he got ready to leave a message, she picked up.

"Jay, is it really necessary to call me eight times and send me 17 texts in less than three hours?" Though he knew she was trying to be funny, he could hear a sadness in her voice and he could swear that she had been crying.

"Well, it's about time," he said, slightly irritated that she had made him worry. "You can't just take off and not tell me where you are. You just up and left after lunch, and I was worried that something had happened to you." Ebony knew she shouldn't be angry with him for worrying about her, but after everything with Bray, she just couldn't handle it right then.

"It's none of your damn business where I was. I have every right to take off where I want, when I want. We're just pretending here Jay. You're not my boyfriend and you certainly have no right to demand to know where I am at all times. And as for your stupid little plan, I'm done. I'm not going to pretend to date you anymore and I sure as hell am not going on that stupid double date with Pride and Amber!" She hung up and threw the phone across the room. She burst into tears, partly over guilt about being mean to Jay and partly over guilt for lying to Bray about her and Jay dating. She couldn't believe that she had let her life become such a mess.

Jay stared at the phone, not quite comprehending what the hell had just happened. And he was hurt at how she talked to him, how she wrote him off like he was nothing. A few months ago he couldn't have cared less what Ebony thought of him and now he was upset because she didn't seem to care about him at all. What the hell was going on with him? He sighed and dialed her number again, not able to let himself leave things as they were. She didn't answer. He knew she would continue to ignore him, so he decided that he would just have to make her talk to him.

Ebony continued to lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She had been doing this ever since she hung up on Jay. Her head was full of memories of her and Bray and of Martin. She finally rolled off the bed and grabbed a photo album off her shelf. She glanced over pictures of her and all her friends. There was one with her, Bray, Ram, Martin and Salene from swimming at the community pool the summer before last. Bray and Ram had pushed her into the pool, and Martin and Salene had defended her honor by pushing Bray and Ram in. By the time someone took the picture, they had all ended up in the pool, with big goofy grins on their faces. She smiled at the memory.

As she continued to flip through the pictures, she heard a sound coming from her window. She threw the album onto the bed and went to open the window. She looked around but she couldn't see anyone.

"Boo!" Jay yelled as he jumped out from behind a bush. Ebony screamed. Jay couldn't help himself. He rolled on the ground laughing.

"Jay! You are not funny. You scared the crap out of me! What are you even doing here?" Jay finally got off the ground and stood by the window. He waited until she moved to the side so he could climb in. "You know my house has a door, right?" Jay just shrugged and smiled. She rolled her eyes. Once he made it into her room, he just stood there looking at her. He had come here with a plan and now he couldn't remember what it was. "did you want something?" Ebony tapped her foot impatiently. Jay finally snapped out of his daze.

"Oh, umm…well, you see…I just…you don't…we should… Well, hell Ebony I don't know what to say!" He couldn't believe he was making such an ss of himself. She smiled slightly at his stuttering. "I guess I just want to know what happened early that made you snap. You went looking for Bray after lunch, didn't you?" Ebony smiled nervously, not knowing how to explain exactly what had happened. She finally told him the whole story about what had happened at the graveyard with Bray, but she left out the part where she had whispered that she loved Bray. For some reason, she didn't feel comfortable telling Jay that.

"Wow. I can't believe Bray talked to you like that. He is usually so level-headed and honest about his feelings. He's so much worse off than I thought." Jay looked away sadly. Ebony put her hand on his arm and smiled.

"It will be okay. We haven't lost him yet. We just have to find the right buttons to push to get a rise out of him, and trust me, I'm amazingly talented at that." Jay looked at her in shock as she smiled innocently.

"Wait a minute. I thought you were done with my stupid plan and our stupid double date and blah, blah, blah."

"Well, if you don't want my help…" She turned away, pretending to be busying herself with cleaning her room. 'She really is cute when she's playing hard to get,' he thought to himself. He mentally slapped himself. 'What am I thinking? This is strictly business. Nothing more. There's no way I want anything more than friendship with Ebony. She's Bray's girl!" He shook his head to clear his thoughts. He grabbed her arm and spun her to face him.

"Of course I want your help. The plan won't work without you. Now we just have to be on top of our game tomorrow night when we go out with Amber and Pride. I have a feeling that Bray is going to make an appearance." 


	9. Double Date Disaster

Ebony impatiently paced back and forth in her living room as she waited for Jay to get there. Tonight was their double date with Amber and Pride. She hated to admit it, but she was a little nervous. Not to mention the fact that she honestly couldn't stand Amber and nature boy and the last thing she wanted was to go out with them, but she knew it had to be done. She just hoped that Bray showed up, otherwise this whole outing would be pointless.

'Except for the fact that I get to spend time with Jay,' she thought to herself. She frowned and shook her head to clear her thoughts. She wasn't sure what was going on with her, but she had to admit that she was enjoying spending time with Jay and that scared her.

She jumped as she heard the doorbell ring. She flung open the door and there was Jay with a big grin on his face.

"Ready to go?" he asked. She just nodded and followed him to the car. They were silent the whole way to Guiseppe's, both lost in their own thoughts.

"We're here." Ebony broke out of her thoughts and got out of the car. She took a deep breath and prepared herself for whatever was about to happen. Jay slipped his hand in hers and led her into the restaurant.

For a split second, she forgot about Bray and the plan and just thought about how nice it was to have Jay there, with her. She cursed herself at her foolishness. This was just a plan to Jay. He didn't even like her. He just wanted Bray back to how he used to be. And she wanted that too, at least that's what she was trying to tell herself.

She rolled her eyes as she spotted Amber and Pride making out at a table near the back. Did they ever stop? She sighed as Jay pulled her to the table. This was going to be a long night.

Bray took another swig from the bottle in his hand, cringing as the alcohol burned its way down his throat. He had been sitting in his living room for the past two hours, downing anything and everything that he found in his dad's liquor cabinet. Once he finished, he threw the bottle across the room, liking the sound of it crashing against the wall.

Even after all the alcohol, Bray still couldn't stop thinking about the fact that Ebony was on a date with Jay right now, probably having the time of her life. 'She is mine. She should be with me,' he thought, bitterly. He suddenly got an idea. He slowly pulled himself off the couch, staggering back and forth as he tried to make it to the front door. Realizing he was too drunk to drive, he staggered his way down the five blocks it took to get to Guiseppe's.

After finally making it there, he looked in the window and saw Ebony, his Ebony, laughing with Jay. Jay's arm was slung around her small shoulders and she didn't seem to mind at all. Anger boiled inside of Bray as he saw the two of them, looking so happy together. He threw open the door to the restaurant and stormed over to their table.

"What the hell are you doing with my girl, Jay?" he yelled. Ebony, Jay, Pride, and Amber looked up in shock at the angry man looming over their table.

Pride looked at him, concerned about his drunken state. "Bray, man are you okay? What are you-" "Shut the hell up, Pride. I'm not talking to you. I'm talking to him." Bray pointed his finger at Jay.

"So Jay, I'll ask you again. What are you doing with my girl?" Jay just stared at Bray, too stunned to speak. He would have never guessed that Bray would go this crazy. Realizing that no one was going to say anything, Ebony stood up and gently put her hand on Bray's arm. His expression softened as he looked at her. He could see the fear and hesitation on her face and he immediately was ashamed of how he was acting.

"I'm sorry, Ebony," he whispered as he pulled her into a hug. She held him tight, not knowing what to do and afraid of what he would do if he got angry again. In all her years of knowing Bray, she had never seen him act this way and she was sad to admit that it was all her and Jay's fault. They had pushed him too far.

"It's okay, Bray. It's okay. I know you didn't mean to. I'm so sorry I didn't help you." A tear slid down her face as she realized how she had failed him. She had gotten too caught up in the plan and in Jay that she didn't realize how much Bray needed her, even if he pretended like her didn't. Bray pulled her closer to him, happy to be so close to her after months of keeping his distance.

Jay watched the scene unfold in front of him, feeling guilt and a sense of loss and maybe a bit of relief. Bray had finally broken down the wall that had been there since Martin died. He knew Bray still needed some time to heal, but he knew things were finally getting back to normal and that made him a little sad.

He knew after tonight, he had lost Ebony for good. He knew that Bray would win her back and he would just have to deal with it. It's not like she was ever really his to begin with.

Ebony finally broke apart from Bray and looked at Jay. She saw a sadness in his eyes that she couldn't quite explain, but it was gone within seconds, replaced with an emotionless expression.

"I'm going to take Bray home," she told him, speaking barely above a whisper. All Jay could do was nod and watch her walk away with someone that wasn't him.

I hope you like the story so far. Please R&R. Thanks!


	10. It's Over Now

Ebony sighed. She had finally managed to get Bray into his house and onto the couch. He had fallen asleep as soon as he laid his head down. Ebony couldn't believe that things had gotten so out of hand. She didn't think that Bray would get so upset and show up drunk. He kept calling her "his girl," asking Jay why he was there with "his girl." She wasn't sure what that meant. And even more confusing was the sadness in Jay's eyes when she left with Bray. Her and Jay, they were just pretending, so why did it rip her heart in two to leave him there?

"Ebony? EBONY?" Bray yelled from the couch, panicked that she had left him. Ebony rushed to his side. 

"I'm right here, Bray. I'm right here," she said, smoothing his hair. Bray just looked at her, unable to believe that she was still taking care of him after everything he had done to her. "Ebony, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry about what I've done to you. I shouldn't have left you after Martin died. And I lied to you. I lied to you when I told you I wanted you to stay away. It was my fault that Martin died and I was afraid I would hurt you. I never wanted to hurt you." Tears ran down Bray's face as he looked into Ebony's eyes, searching for her response.

Ebony just sat there, hardly able to breathe. She couldn't believe the things that were coming out of Bray's mouth. He said exactly what she had been waiting to hear, so why wasn't she feeling anything except numbness.

"Ebony?" Bray touched her arm, questioningly. "I know this is a lot to handle right now. I know that you're with Jay, but he's no good for you. What you and I had was so real and it could be like that again. I know it could." All Ebony could do was smile at him, not knjowing what to think or feel. She knew that she loved Bray, she had loved him for most of her life. It was only natural for them to be together.

But what about Jay, she thought. She shook her head. What about Jay? They weren't ever really together. They just used each other to get Bray back to his old self. She tried to convince herself that he only had that sadness in his eyes at the restaurant because of Bray's drunken state. Ebony shook her head again to clear her thoughts as Bray intertwined his fingers with hers. She knew this was a new beginning for them. She just wasn't sure if she was ready for it.

On the other side of town, Jay paced back in forth in his room unable to believe the events of tonight. A drunken Bray had come in and taken Ebony away. He knew he should be happy because they had gotten what they wanted. Bray was going to return to his old self, so why was Jay so unhappy? Because she's gone, he thought to himself. He couldn't deny it anymore no matter how much he wanted to. He had fallen in love with his best friend's girl and now he was doomed to watch them be happy together, while he was miserable on the sidelines.

Jay couldn't stand the idea of Bray and Ebony together. He knew he needed a distraction. He picked up his phone and dialed a familiar number.

"Hey May. You doing anything tonight?"


	11. Goodbye to Us

**Rach**: Thanks so much for the continues support. I seem to have found my way again with this story.

**Kdivag123**: I'm glad you like the story and I hope you enjoy the new chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Tribe or it's characters. If I did own Jay, well…that's a long story. ;)

Ch. 11: Goodbye to Us 

Ebony paced the room as Bray lay sleeping on the couch. He had been out for a few hours, but she couldn't bring herself to sleep. All she could think about was Jay. She laughed bitterly as she thought of how much her life had changed. A few weeks ago, she would have given anything to have Bray back and now that she had him, the only person who occupied her thoughts was Jay.

I can't just do nothing, she thought as she scribbled a note to Bray and ran out the door. She jumped in the car and headed to Jay's. She knew that she had to see him. She didn't know how he felt about her, but she had a small inkling of hope that he wanted her just as she wanted him.

When she pulled up to Jay's house, she jumped out of the car and ran to the front door. No one answered when she knocked, so she just walked in. She made her way to his bedroom, a place she had been several times when she and Bray were together. They used to hang out there and listen to music.

She heard noises coming from his room and was thankful he was awake.

"Jay, I had to come talk…" her voice trailed off as she opened the door and was shocked at the site in front of her. There was her Jay with May on top of him. She ran from the room and down the stairs.

"Ebony!" Jay yelled as he pushed May off of him.

"Ebony, wait!" Jay caught her arm just before she made it to the door.

"Ebby, I…" Ebony just turned and looked at him, pushing back the tears and putting on her brave, uncaring face, the one she had practiced so much since Martin died.

"Jay, I'm sorry I just barged in. I didn't realize that you had company." She nearly choked on the last words, but willed herself to not show how much she was hurting. Jay just looked at her, terrified and unable to come up with any explanation.

"I'm so sorry. I just and we were just…" Ebony held up her hand to stop him. She couldn't hold her emotions much longer. She had to get out of there. She mustered up the best smile and shook her head.

"What are you apologizing for? It's not like we were really together. I just came here to tell you that Bray was fine. He sobered up and we talked. He apologized for everything and he still loves me. We finally get to be together again. I just wanted to thank you." She swallowed hard as Jay searched her eyes. He had this piercing gaze, as though he could see straight into her soul and she was afraid he would see the truth. She was in love with him, but he was with May. And she had to stay with Bray. After everything, it wouldn't be right to break his heart anymore than she already had.

Jay could feel the tears stinging the back of his eyes and he blinked them away. He had lost his chance, if there ever was one for him and Ebony. How could he compete with the guy she had always loved, especially when that guy was his best friend? He flashed her a smile.

"I'm happy that things worked out for you. I hope that you are happy and Bray too." Unable to help himself, he pulled her into a hug. He loved the way that she smelled of strawberries and who knew when he would be this close to her again? Ebony hugged him back, unwilling to pull away. She knew she would miss this and she wanted this memory to last as long as possible.

"Jay, are you coming back upstairs?" May asked, wrapped only in a sheet. Her voice had broken the moment and Ebony pulled away.

"I'll see you around school," she said as she walked out the door. After hearing the click of the door closing, she jumped in the car and let the tears fall as she pulled out of the driveway.

Jay leaned his back against the door and closed his eyes as a tear slid down his cheek. He had never known how much it would pain him to say goodbye to her, but she didn't love him and he had no other choice.

**Please R&R! Your reviews make me happy!**


	12. Burning Bridges, Building Bridges

**Rach**: Thanks for the constant support. And as my gift to you, I'm uploading two chapters today! Hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the Tribe or it's characters. If I did own Jay, well…that's a long story. ;)

Ch. 12: Burning Bridges, Building Bridges

Ebony tried her best to cover up the fact that she had been crying as she made her way back to Bray's house. She couldn't let him know how much Jay meant to her. He couldn't handle it. She walked in the door and saw Bray on the couch with his head in his hands.

"Bray, what's wrong?" she asked as she sat beside him. He jumped at the sound of her voice.

"Ebony? You came back!" He threw his arms around her waist and pulled her close. Ebony pulled back and looked at him, confused.

"What are you talking about? Of course I came back. Didn't you see my note?" Ebony noticed Bray's eyes get a little darker as he grabbed her note from the table and started pacing.

"Of course I got your note. 'Dear Bray, I went to talk to Jay. Love, Ebony.' I thought that you went to get back with Jay. I thought you didn't want me anymore." He looked down at her with tears in his eyes. Ebony jumped up and hugged him as it all started to make sense.

"I wasn't leaving you. I went to tell Jay that we were over. Actually, the truth is that Jay and I were never really together." She looked at him, afraid of his reaction, but she knew if they were going to start over, there couldn't be any secrets between them.

"What do you mean you weren't really together? I saw you, everyone at school saw you. You said it yourself at Martin's grave. I don't understand." She grabbed his hand and pulled him down next to her on the couch.

"I know you don't understand and I'll try to explain, but first I have to say that Jay and I did this for you. Everyone saw how you changed after Martin died." Bray winced at the memory, but squeezed her hand for her to continue. "Jay approached me a few weeks after school started saying that he missed you, the real you. Not this robotic person that you had become. He came up with a plan to help you. He wanted us to pretend to be a couple to get a reaction out of you, to get you to feel something." Bray pulled his hand away from her and jumped off the couch.

"You did what?!" he screamed at her. "So what, you and Jay decided to just have a little fun at my expense! I can't..."

"No, no! We weren't having fun at your expense. We were trying to help you! We wanted the old you back. We never meant to hurt you. I just missed you and Jay missed you." She tried to grab his hand but he flinched away. She looked up at him, tears streaming down her face. She couldn't bare to see the pain in his eyes.

"Well, I guess you got your wish. Here I am, showing emotion again. Now you and Jay can go celebrate your great accomplishment! Now do me a favor and get out of my house!"

"Bray, please! Just…"

"I said GET OUT!" Ebony looked at him in shock. She didn't know that he would be so angry. She grabbed her coat and headed towards the door. She stopped halfway there and turned around. After all she had done for him, suffering through a summer without him and giving up Jay to make him happy, she wasn't going to go without a fight.

**Please R&R. You're reviews make me happy! **


	13. My Heart Breaks for You

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the Tribe or it's characters. If I did own Jay, well…that's a long story. ;)

"Bray, please! Just…" 

"_I said GET OUT!" Ebony looked at him in shock. She didn't know that he would be so angry. She grabbed her coat and headed towards the door. She stopped halfway there and turned around. After all she had done for him, suffering through a summer without him and giving up Jay to make him happy, she wasn't going to go without a fight._

Ch. 13: My Heart Breaks for You

"No, I won't leave," she said as she walked towards him. Bray turned towards her, his eyes ablaze.

"I wasn't asking you. I was telling you. Get the hell out of my house!" Ebony defiantly took a step towards him.

"No. I'm not leaving until you shut up and listen." She glared at him, allowing all the pain he had put her through to fuel her anger. His eyes widened, surprised that she spoke to him this way. In all the time he had known her, he had hardly ever made her angry and the scary sight before him reminded him why. He just blankly looked at her, waiting for her to continue. She took another step forward and took a deep breath, trying to control her emotions.

"I went through complete and utter hell this summer." She held up her hand as he tried to interrupt her. "Just let me finish and you can say whatever you want or kick me out, I don't care, but right now you need to listen. I went through hell this summer after the accident. Martin died and you left me all alone. I became a shell of my former self and if it hadn't been for my friends, Mega and Ram especially, I would have never made it through." She took another deep breath and sat down as the memories overwhelmed her.

"I know that people talk about me at school. About Martin and me and you and the accident, but they don't really know what this summer was like. They don't know that I cried for weeks and could hardly breathe. They don't know that I didn't speak to anyone for almost a month after the accident, not even my closest friends. And they don't know that Mega and Ram found me sitting on the floor of my bathroom crying with a bottle of pills in my hand just a month before school started." Bray looked at her shocked and sad.

"Ebony, did you…" She shook her head.

"No, I didn't take them. Mega and Ram pleaded with me and told me all that I had to live for. After that day, I decided that I would never be that weak again. I would never try to find the easy way out. I was so angry at myself for running away when I couldn't face you that first day of school, but after what you said to me at Martin's funeral and the way you pretended not to know me, I couldn't stand it." Bray took her hand as he knelt in front of her.

"Ebony, I am so sorry." She smiled at him sadly.

"I know you are. But the point of telling you all of this is to let you know that I didn't make that deal with Jay to punish you or laugh at you. I was broken-hearted and I was willing to do anything to get you back. Please believe me." More tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked at him, waiting for his reaction. He cupped her chin in his hand and pushed a stray braid away from her face.

"I'm so sorry I got angry with you, Ebs. It was stupid and I should have known you wouldn't ever try to trick me. I love you, Ebony. I love you and I want us to have a second chance together. I know that we have both done stupid things, but I think we can move past them. We can be a real couple again. Don't you think?" He looked at her, his eyes full of hope. She smiled, ignoring the voice of reason in her head that said she loved Jay. Bray deserved his happyness and she knew they could be happy together. Bray was familiar and safe and Jay just wasn't, especially after seeing him with May tonight. She knew that this was the right choice.

"I love you too, Bray. And I want this to work." Bray smiled his brillant smile that she hadn't seen in months as he leaned down and kissed her.

At school on Monday, the halls were abuzz with the gossip of the love triangle between Jay, Bray, and Ebony and how Ebony and Jay's whole relationship was a sham. Ebony had spent the whole weekend begging for her friends' forgiveness for her lies. They had all hugged her, unable to be angry at her when she seemed so happy about how things turned out.

She sat down near the fountain at lunch, exhausted from the whole morning of whispers and stares and people asking questions. As she heard someone approaching, she turned around thinking it was Bray.

"Oh, hey Mega," she smiled at him. He had been the most hurt to find out that she had lied to him, but in the end he forgave her, knowing that she didn't do it to hurt anyone.

"Hey yourself. Waiting for Bray?"

"Yeah. He told me he would meet me here after he…" Her voiced trailed off and Mega looked out across the schoolyard to see what had caught her eye. He saw Jay and his friends piling into his truck. He looked back at Ebony and saw the sadness in her eyes.

"So much for no more secrets, huh?" Ebony snapped her gaze away from Jay and looked at Mega, confused.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, come on Ebs. This is me you're talking to. Mega, your best friend. I know you better than anyone, even Bray, so please don't try to lie to me again. I see how you look at Jay and I see the effort you're making to be happy with Bray, but Ebs, you shouldn't have to try so hard to be in love with someone. If you love Jay, you should…"

"No, Mega! Don't even go there. Now I don't have the heart to look you in the eyes and lie to you, but I can't look you in the eyes and tell you the truth. What I will tell you is that Bray and I have been through enough these past few months and there is nothing wrong with trying to be happy." She glared at him as if daring him to challenge her. He sighed in defeat.

"Fine, have it your way. But you know if you ever need me for anything, I'm here." He pulled her into a hug, glad that she couldn't see the disappointment etched on his face. If anyone in the world deserved to be happy, it was Ebony and as much as he hated Jay, he saw how happy Ebony was with him during their "relationship." Even if they told everyone it was all an act, he knew better and he was determined to find a way to make his best friend happy.

**Please R&R. You're reviews make me happy!**


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